WESTFIELD – Westfield Fire Chief Mary Regan reports that she has been advised that several residents have been contacted recently by telephone solicitors who request donations for “Westfield Volunteer Firefighters.”
Regan said that, since Westfield’s fire service is a professional fire department, the reference to volunteers is a red flag which alerted the residents who spoke with her.
Regan said that the department is not engaged in any telephone fundraising efforts at this time.
She said that she is also concerned because the solicitors seem to be calling in the middle of the afternoon and suspects that they may be hoping to take advantage of elderly residents.
“My concern is they’re targeting the elderly who aren’t working” during those hours Regan said.
Regan pointed out that, although the firefighters are not soliciting donations, the Police Explorers unit, an exploratory youth group sponsored by the Westfield Police Department, has contracted with a professional solicitation organization to raise funds for that program by calling residents to ask for donations.
She said that those solicitors should be introducing themselves as representatives of the Police Explorers.
Officer Juanita Meijas, one of the advisers for the Explorers post, said that their fundraising drive will continue for three weeks and the money raised will be used to finance training, equipment and activities for the group.
Regan said that residents who may be skeptical of claims made by telephone solicitors or who have any concerns about a possible contribution should make direct contact with the department the caller claims to represent.
“If anyone has any concerns” about callers who claim to be soliciting donations for the department, Regan said, “they should contact the department directly.”
The Westfield Fire Department can be reached by calling 562-2329.
